Written by: Michelle Brodrick
What is White Glove Delivery?
In a world where furniture can be ordered with the click of a mouse, it is becoming more and more common to ponder the logistics involved in a furniture piece’s journey from a mere image on a computer screen to its final resting place safely in one’s home. Whether you order your furnishings on-line or in-store, there are options when it comes to how these pieces are delivered.
One of the most basic and common types of delivery is ‘curb-side’ or ‘threshold’ delivery. Large on-line shopping companies use these methods often. During these kinds of deliveries, the item you purchase is delivered to your front door. It is not taken inside, nor is it unpackaged. Any handling after drop-off is taken care of by you, the customer.
As a furniture store that sells high-quality, custom pieces from all around the world, we insist on the best when it comes to our client’s furniture deliveries. These curbside or threshold delivery methods are not appropriate for high-end furniture and décor deliveries, and therefore just do not cut it. We always recommend white glove delivery service to our valued customers. It is, in our opinion, the ‘top shelf’, ‘cream of the crop’, ‘best of the best’ delivery service option.
White glove service does not mean that your delivery team will literally show up wearing white gloves. However, enough care will be taken that they most definitely could have been. White glove delivery means that your pieces will be handled with the utmost care, inspected at time of pick up, transported carefully in the back of a well-kept truck with blankets and foam, and delivered directly into your home. Furniture pieces are taken directly into the intended room and placed and positioned as instructed. Any wrap or garbage is taken away, leaving your space in a condition that would be ready to host a group of the most distinguished guests, immediately.
Basically, white glove delivery is the type of service you would ask for if you wanted to ship your first-born child from place to place.
There are many benefits to white glove delivery service that other delivery methods can not promise, such as:
A much lower chance of damage: More care is often taken. There is also no worry about concealed damages (when packaging is not removed, it is hard to know what kind of condition your piece is in at time of delivery.
Peace of mind: Knowing that your piece is safe from theft and living cozily inside your home is important, especially after investing a lot in something special.
Better for the environment. White glove deliveries are scheduled, so there would not be multiple delivery attempts made, as can be the case with standard or curb side deliveries.
Top-notch customer service. You can expect the best in care and attention during a white glove delivery.
And even though white glove delivery is the best option when it comes to having something delivered safely, not everything in life is always perfect. We recommend the following when accepting delivery of a piece via a white glove service:
Measure, measure, measure. This is an important step at time of order. Make sure whatever you are ordering will fit into your home, through all doorways, and around all corners.
Provide thorough delivery instructions. Be sure to provide an accurate description in regards to gaining access into your home and space or spaces. Note any stairways, elevators, awkward corners, etc. The more info you provide, the less chance of surprises along the way.
Thorough inspection upon arrival. Be sure to take a good look over everything once it is in its place. Have the delivery team note and take photos of anything that is not as it should be. This will allow you to claim any damages or issues that may occur.
To summarize, there are many options out there when it comes to furniture delivery, and there is a place for all of them, however, when it comes to having investment pieces delivered, we at Domaine, will always suggest using a white glove delivery service to avoid any disappointment. We have such a love for the furniture pieces we sell, that they are literally like children to us, so we always like to ensure that they are handled just so … with the utmost of care.